William Shakespeare Fan Club

I love all of Shakespeare's work. My favorite Shakespeare work is Julius Caesar. Macbeth runs a close second. My wife is an English major in college and I'm an English minor. I'm taking two 400 level classes this summer on Shakespeare.

I would love to hear what people like about Shakespeare's work and what people think he contributed to modern drama. Please feel free to come in, sit down and let's discuss Shakespeare.

Although I love some of the depth and moral struggle of Julius Caeser: i.e. "It must be by his death...", I think that I have to choose Macbeth as my fave. Shakespeare that I've read to date... Just downright eerie...

For all his stuff that I've read, I still have to go with the classic response and say Hamlet still moves me like no other. There's just so much truth to so many lines. And what a villian! So beautifully fleshed out. Still one of the most amazing stories ever written in my opinion.

I think you get a greater appreciation of Shakespeare when you perform the plays. I've been in Hamlet, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Romeo and Juliet - and I understand the story, and the relationships between the characters much much more than if I had just read them.

I love Shakespeare! I have a great appreciation for all of his works, but I find that lately I'm really enjoying his comedies/farces. Much Ado About Nothing and Comedy of Errors are two of my favorites.

I'm curious as to what everyone thinks about some of the film adaptations of the Bard's plays. I love the Kenneth Branagh versions of "Henry V" and "Much Ado About Nothing" and I even enjoyed Baz Luhrman's (sp?) offbeat "Romeo And Juliet".

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven,
Upon the place beneath.
It is twice blessed.
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
It is mightiest in the mightiest,
It becomes the throned monarch better than his crown.
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
An attribute to awe and majesty.
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself.
And earthly power dost the become likest God's,
Where mercy seasons justice.
Therefore Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in the course of justice we all must see salvation,
We all do pray for mercy
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.
I have spoke thus much to mittgate the justice of thy plea,
Which if thou dost follow,
This strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentance gainst the merchant there.

Shakespeare must be read aloud -- my roommate thinks I'm nuts when I sit there reading out loud, but he can deal with it.

Some Shakespeare I love, some I don't.

What I find interesting though, is this: In school, the editions they give us have the text on one page and pictures and definitions and stuff on the next page. The edition I use, though, is a Complete Works, with each one in small print taking up usually 10-15 pages. And I'll tell you that I only find the annotated editions distracting. They pull me away from what I'm reading. With the complete works, I can just read and get swept up in the language, and I understand everything fine. It's only in the editions that bombard me with definitions that I have trouble.

I think all plays should be read aloud. It helps seperate the characters in my mind - especially if I give them different voices. I always skip over the little part that tells who is speaking when I read silently. It helps me understand who is talking to who, becsue the script doesn't always say it.

I have not studied Macbeth since fifth grade, but I did Hamlet this year (junior in high school) and absolutely fell in love with it. That scene where Claudius tries to pary for forgiveness, but his sould is too black . . . *shivers* Only Shakespeare could write like that.

Agreed regarding reading aloud. I've bowed to the rules of living in a house with other people and I only whisper the lines, but it's imperative to get the sound of the words.

Regarding film adaptations: Branagh's Hamlet is fantastic simply because it's uncut. Branagh is good, though I know some people didn't like his interpretation. The real gem is Derek Jacobi, lending his considerable talents to the role of Claudius. Wow! What a performance. Fantastic film, in my opinion.